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Bryzgalov posts shutout as Flyers blank Devils

Oct 9, 2011 - 3:45 AM Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - In his second regular season game as a Flyers goaltender, Ilya Bryzgalov gave them something they haven't had in more than 18 months.

A regular season shutout.

Bryzgalov made 20 saves Saturday night and Philadelphia smothered New Jersey in a 3-0 win, handing the Devils a loss in their 2011-12 season opener.

Claude Giroux scored in the first period to give Bryzgalov the only goal he needed for his 24th career shutout, while rookie Matt Read picked up his first NHL goal and Wayne Simmonds scored for the first time as a Flyer.

The Flyers are off to a 2-0 start after beating the Bruins 2-1 Thursday night to spoil Boston's Stanley Cup banner-raising ceremony.

Saturday marked their first regular season shutout since a 2-0 win at Toronto on April 6, 2010.

"I think collectively we did a good job as a whole," said Simmonds. "We stress team defense and I think we all back-checked hard, we all took care of what we had to do and we got the shutout for Bryz."

Martin Brodeur allowed three goals on 29 shots as the Devils started a season with a new head coach for the third straight year, losing in Peter DeBoer's debut.

"They looked (to be) at game speed and we looked at practice speed," said the new head coach. "And we never caught up."

James van Riemsdyk battled near the end boards to find Giroux with a pass in the slot, and Giroux beat Brodeur high on the stick side with a one-timer at 12:05 of the first period.

Bryzgalov had seven saves in the period, then 10 in a scoreless second period. He only faced three shots in the third period, while Read and Simmonds put the game away with goals separated by just over two minutes.

Read, 25, was set up by Scott Hartnell on a goal from the slot at 2:41 and Simmonds battled for the rebound on a slap shot from the point, stuffing it past Brodeur at the 4:50 mark.

About four minutes later, Simmonds also had his first fight as a Flyer, knocking down Devils forward David Clarkson with a punch early in the scuffle.

Philadelphia signed Simmonds to a multi-year deal in July. They inked Bryzgalov to a lengthy and lucrative deal in June not long after trading former captain Mike Richards and leading goal-scorer Jeff Carter in two separate deals.

Brian Boucher, who is currently with Carolina, made 23 saves in the last Flyers shutout.

Game Notes

The Devils are coming off a 2010-11 season that started with just 10 wins in their first 41 games and ended with them missing the playoffs for the first time since 1996. John MacLean was fired and replaced on an interim basis by Jacques Lemaire who helped the Devils put together a 28-10-3 run at the end of the season. DeBoer, the former Florida Panthers coach, was hired in July.